From Batu Bolong, our bungalow in Sengiggi, we booked a personal trip to the Gili islands, that sit app. one hour by boat from there in the Bali sea off the Lombok coast. We were picked up in the morning at 0900, taken to a place where a traditional boat was waiting for us on the beach. It was a narrow white and blue boat, length app. 7 mtrs. on both sides it had a sort of wings with bamboo poles attached to them parallel to the boat, so as to give stability to the very narrow boat. A very beautiful boat to see.  A sunroof on top, the captain in the rear and an outside engine. We hired snorkling stuff, dragged the boat into the sea and off we were. We stopped at three diferent places to go snorkling. We saw all kinds of magnificent fish in beautiful coral. I even was so lucky to spot 4 big turtles. Two of them came swimming below me, like two big flying machines quietly passing  under me. We lunched on one of the islands: just run the boat on the shore, walk 10 meters, sit at a table under a sunshade and the waiter has already welcomed you. (Bounty, Zwitserlevengevoel?) Eveline could not help buying a load of pearls, which are farmed there.
At the end of the day we both were very badly sunburnt. Though we had not been in the direct sun, the reflection on the water had done more than enough to give us a red skin and some bad nights to follow.

In our boat, Gunung Agung (Bali’s main volvano) on the horizon.

Bargaining pearls, the boat in the background.

Snorkling.

Ready for lunch.